Social and Community Service Managers Salary
The median pay for a social and community service managers in California is $83,210/year ($40.01/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $149K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $78,396 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 47.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $83K get you in California?
About social and community service managers
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What this looks like in California
Social and community service managers pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $83K locally vs. $80K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 47% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level social and community service managers (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $149K or more, a $93K spread from bottom to top.
Social and Community Service Managers salary by metro in California
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $98K | +18% | 1,340 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $93K | +12% | 5,080 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $87K | +5% | 12,400 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $86K | +3% | 50 |
| Salinas | $86K | +3% | 250 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $84K | +1% | 490 |
| Napa | $84K | +1% | 160 |
| Yuba City | $84K | +1% | 100 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $81K | -2% | 240 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $81K | -2% | 270 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $81K | -3% | 610 |
| Visalia | $81K | -3% | 300 |
| Chico | $80K | -3% | 200 |
| El Centro | $80K | -3% | 100 |
| Vallejo | $80K | -4% | 250 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $80K | -4% | 440 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $80K | -4% | 2,910 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $80K | -4% | 2,360 |
| Fresno | $79K | -5% | 830 |
| Modesto | $77K | -7% | 280 |
| Merced | $77K | -8% | 140 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $77K | -8% | 460 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $76K | -9% | 2,210 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $76K | -9% | 490 |
| Redding | $75K | -10% | 200 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
Compare to other states
Track social and community service managers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a social and community service manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 47% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for social and community service managers in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new social and community service managers typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,391/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 73% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is social and community service manager a high-paying job in California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $83K locally vs. $80K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for social and community service managers?
California pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $80K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — below the national median.
How much do social and community service managers make in California?
The median is $83,210 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,510, and experienced social and community service managers can clear $149,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,254/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 47% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a social and community service managers salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median social and community service managers salary is worth about $78,396 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do social and community service managers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.